Jazz in Lead for Al Jefferson

They would simply absorb the salary of Jefferson using the trade exception they got from the Boozer trade. Now, the question is, if they do this can they also afford to match the Wes Matthews contract?

almost 2 years ago axel360 4 comments 0 recs |

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Good move for them, with Okur's health in question.

But it will eat up their money, making it more likely that Matthews comes here. Unless they want to pay the Luxury Tax? Gotta do some research on that….

"[S]ince men enjoyed very great leisure, they used it to pursue many kinds of commodities unknown to their fathers, and that was that first yoke they placed upon themselves without thinking about it, and the first source of evils the prepared for their descendants. For, besides continuing thus to soften body and mind, as these commodities had lost almost all their pleasantness through habit, and as they had at the same time degenerated into true needs, being deprived of them became much more cruel than possessing them was sweet; and people were unhappy to lose them without being happy to have them." -Jean-Jacques Rousseau

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by T Darkstar on Jul 12, 2010 6:46 PM PDT reply actions

In fact, taking Jefferson alone may put them right up against the Luxury Tax, if not past it.

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by T Darkstar on Jul 12, 2010 6:48 PM PDT up reply actions

Here is Utah’s salaries.

If you subtract Wes Matthews, that is just over $56 million. Add $14 million (Al Jefferson), it’s just over $70 million.

The luxury tax threshold is $70.3 million, so they would be right beneath it. But that’s with just 10 players on contract, meaning if they don’t send anyone back, they’ll almost certainly be in the Luxury Tax.. That means they’d end up paying over $11 million (or MLE times 2) for Matthews next season because they’d have to pay his salary dollar-for-dollar in luxury taxes.

Get well Greg! Rip City is still behind you!

by axel360 on Jul 12, 2010 6:57 PM PDT up reply actions

They seem to intend to trade AK47, though

They could easily send off his $17 mil for, say, $14 mil, and get under the tax. Igoudala might be a nice choice for them, plus a little filler. He’ll probably be available once it becomes clear that he’s not a good fit next to Evan Turner, and AK would give Philly a massive expiring. D-Will at point, Iggy and Hayward on the wings, Big Al and Okur in the post would be killer.

by HailOden! on Jul 12, 2010 7:55 PM PDT up reply actions